Tag: Cat

I’m trying for no one else but me.

Sara Mazariegos

My new job has been stressful, mainly because I’m getting used to my new schedule and the new things I have to do. It’s a lot of customer service stuff (answering live chats, phone inquiries, and emails) that I haven’t had to do before. But I’m getting used to the structure of how my days will go and I’m asking for help less often. I still hate answering the phone, but maybe that will dissipate with this job, since I’m supposed to answer the phone at least a few times each day. The manager told me it’s okay to tell clients I don’t know something and just take down their info to get it to them in an email, which is a relief.

I’m working on embracing my longer commute. I read a book on the Metro ride home, which is nice. Each block I walk from the office to the Metro station — two, it’s only two blocks — feels like it takes a century to get past. It feels like being in New York, except everything’s wider and it’s less busy. So it’s not like New York at all.

There was a duck standing in the middle of the sidewalk yesterday. Just chilling. She stared back at me when I looked at her as if it was the most normal thing she could be doing with her life.

Two weekends ago (time is crazy right now) we went to our friends’ wedding in Frederick, Maryland. I’d never been there before. It’s a cute little Civil War-y town with tons of independently-owned businesses. Besides the wedding, which was very fun and cute and good to see old friends, we went to the Museum of Civil War Medicine and Mount Olivet Cemetery, which has Francis Scott Key’s grave and memorial. I’m glad we finally went to this little historic town after living in Maryland all these years. Thanks for getting married there, Emily and Ashley. 😊

Boo’s surgery has officially been scheduled for next Tuesday. We opened a GoFundMe and received a bunch of kind donations to help us cover the crazy-high costs of it. She’s going to be cute with only one ear and no tail, but it’s going to be an adjustment, too. I think she’ll be fine with it after she heals. We’ll be the ones who are emotional about it for a bit. We received a generous grant from a volunteer organization, so some of her surgery will also be covered by them. She’s getting so much attention lately. She’s got a lot of fans and well-wishers.

My writing is going well, amidst all of these changes and new experiences. I keep reaching the next 500 words with no trouble, and I’ve come up with some fun plot ideas that tie things together. Just have to remember to actually use them. Does that ever happen to you? You think of a great idea (or even a good idea) and then you forget about it so you never use it? I wish I had a note-taking machine in my brain that transcribed my thoughts and ideas for later.

The other day, I was taking notes and I gave my thumb an annoying wound that’s finally healing. I used to write by hand all the time. I don’t miss it, if it’s going to hurt.

We were sea anemones spelling out each other’s names.

Sara Mazariegos

I’ve been at my job for one full week now! I’m finally starting to complete tasks on my own (or nearly on my own; I have to get things checked by my “supervisor” before sending them out*.) I think it’s going well. It’s a lot to learn and I’m probably going to be reminding myself that I’m not stupid for a bit, but I’m getting the hang of things. I met my first client yesterday. She came to the office to pick up her package and I showed her the space. She gave me a hug, which was unexpected but nice since I’ve been stressed about getting started.

Since work has been A Lot this past week, I haven’t had much time for writing. I’m a little behind on where I wanted to be, but I’m still doing fine. I made it to 11,000 words yesterday, writing during the first half of the Inter Miami game. 😅 My goal is be at around 80,000 words by the end of September so I can take our anniversary vacation in October.

This makes it seem like my life is way more organized than it is. You should’ve seen me flailing as I tried to learn how to turn on a Mac computer the other morning. Oh yeah, I have a Mac computer at work. My first Mac, and no one is around to help me with it. I’m slowly memorizing commands. Why the hell is it like that, though?

“Oh ho ho, no, we don’t use Ctrl; that would be silly. We use Command. We’ve evolved. We still have a Control button though, yes. I don’t know what it’s for.” – some Apple developer, possibly Steve Jobs, I don’t know how involved he was with this.

In other Sad-But-It’s-Going-To-Be-Okay news, our cat Boo (the one with the stylish pink cone) needs to have an ear and her tail removed because an oncologist looked at the tumors there and said they’re most likely cancerous. So she’s going to be a one-eared bunny cat soon. I’m a little sad about it, but relieved that she’s actually going to be treated. Hopefully she’ll be more comfortable soon. She’s been in a better mood lately, enjoying her cone-free time during the day now, since she’s been a little less itchy.

I have no doubt she will be very cute after her surgery.

Hopefully she will be able to be around for at least five more years. That would make her eighteen. Aside from the masts that have been bothering her, she’s still got a lot of energy and personality. She in no way acts like a sickly cat. Hopefully we can keep her that way for as long as possible.

Until next time,

* She’s not in the office with me. No one’s in the office with me. So I don’t technically have a supervisor. She’s more like my manager. The manager of the customer support team.